The history of fantasy football

In this Aug. 30, 2010 photograph, Brian Sherman, left, uses his laptop to record moves in his team's fantasy football draft, at a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Cincinnati. Some restaurant chains around the country have launched promotional drives to score with dedicated players of the growing pastime. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
— AP

In this Aug. 30, 2010 photograph, Brian Sherman, left, uses his laptop to record moves in his team's fantasy football draft, at a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Cincinnati. Some restaurant chains around the country have launched promotional drives to score with dedicated players of the growing pastime. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
/ AP

Many believe “Rotisserie” baseball started the fantasy sports craze in the 1980s. Most don’t even know fantasy football supersedes “Rotisserie” by almost two decades. Interestingly enough, we have the Oakland Raiders organization to thank for a game whose meteoric rise in popularity has mirrored the NFL’s. Here’s a timeline of the most important dates in fantasy football history:

March 1962: The rules for what eventually became fantasy football were developed at New York City’s Milford Plaza Hotel by Wilfred “Bill” Winkenbach, Bill Tunnell and Scotty Stirling on a Raiders east coast trip. Winkenbach was a limited partner in the Raiders, Tunnell was the Raiders PR-man and Starling was a reporter for the Oakland Tribune.

August 1963: The world’s first league, the GOPPPL (Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League) holds its inaugural draft. Hall of Famer George Blanda was the first ever selection.

January 1967: The Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs clash in Super Bowl I.

September 1969: An original creator of GOPPPL, Andy Mousalimas becomes commissioner of the first public fantasy football league, which is open to his patrons at the Kings X Sports Bar in Oakland.

September 1974: The first known Ladies’ Division begins at the Kings X Sports Bar.

August 1978: The NFL strengthens its pass interference rule, giving teams – and fantasy players – more opportunities for offense.

May 1979: Bill Walsh takes over as 49ers head coach. The addition of rookie quarterback Joe Montana allows Walsh to implement his quick-strike approach to passing. The 49ers rank first in passing attempts in three of his first four seasons.

April 1983: Three of the six quarterbacks taken in the first round of the NFL Draft change fantasy drafts for years to come – Dan Marino, John Elway and Jim Kelly.

November 1984: Dan Marino sets single-season passing records that aren’t surpassed until almost three decades later.

August 1985: Steve Young and Randall Cunningham enter the NFL, ushering in the era of the dual-threat quarterback who earned fantasy points passing and rushing.

October 1986: Implementing spread schemes devised by legendary Portland State head coach Mouse Davis, Jerry Glanville’s Houston Oilers revolutionize the game with the “Run-n-shoot” offense.

September 1989: Over one million people in the U.S. play fantasy football.

September 1990: The NFL changes its schedule system to include bye weeks. This move has a huge impact on the fantasy community, as owners now had to account for the weeks their players would not play.

July 1999: Yahoo! goes against the grain of other major competitors by offering its first fantasy football product for free. Yahoo! Continues to hold the top spot in the industry.

August 1999: In the preseason, Trent Green tears his ACL, ending his season for the St. Louis Rams before it begins. Former Arena Leaguer Kurt Warner puts down the groceries, picks up a football and becomes the greatest waiver wire pickup in fantasy football history.

December 2004: After an injury forces Steve McNair to the sidelines, Billy Volek saves the day with a set of improbable performances during the fantasy playoffs for the Tennessee Titans. Joining Dan Marino, Dan Fouts and Phil Simms, Volek becomes only the fourth quarterback in history to throw 400+ yards in consecutive games.

September 2006: Over 12 million people in the U.S. play fantasy football.

September 2007: With the Philadelphia Eagles clinging to a 10-6 lead, Brian Westbrook breaks free for what appears to be a 25-yard touchdown. Instead of scoring, however, Westbrook drops to the ground at the 1-yard line allowing the Eagles to run out the clock. It’s a play that will live in fantasy football infamy.

September 2009: Building on the foundation laid by NFL Sunday Ticket earlier in the decade, DirecTV debuts the Red Zone Channel to the thrill of fantasy football players everywhere. Every touchdown. Every game. It doesn’t get any better.

September 2013: Over 21 million people in the U.S. play fantasy football.

July 2014: DirecTV announces its latest addition to the NFL Sunday Ticket package. “Fantasy Zone” will reside next to the popular “Red Zone” channel and will also broadcast while games are in progress, but will focus solely on how the live action is affecting the day’s fantasy stats, with up-to-the-minute game-to-game analysis, stats and on-screen tickers offer projections and key player updates.